Slicing utensil



,Aug. 1s, 1936.

SM1/toc c. J. SCHNEIDER SLICING UTENSIL Filed Dec. 1o, 1954 dtkozuau Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a household hand utensil and particularly to a utensil for slicing and dividing materials, such as foods, into parts. The invention has for an object to provide a hand operated and guided food slicing utensil having a means for slicing material associated with a means for separating the sliced portions of the material from the body thereof. The means for separating cooperates directly with the slicing means' and effects separation in immediate succession to slicing.

The invention has for another object to provide a means for separating the slices from the material body which functions with increasing eiect over increased area of the slice as the area of the slice increases with slicing and in direc- Y tions from substantially the center of the slice outwardly toward the edges thereof. A utensil embodying my invention is, therefore, particularly adapted to the slicing of materials of a accid moldability and whereof, even" though sliced, the sliced portions tend to remain in selfsustained assembled relation to the body sliced. Such materials as soft cheese, butter, ice cream, and the like, are easily sliced into tissue-thick slices by the use of the utensil and served without crumbling or breaking ofthe slice and enabling artistic and tasty serving of the sliced material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a utensil of loW cost andV capable of rendering an efficient performance in slicing and separating foods.

The invention consists in other features and advantages which will appear from the following description and upon examination of the drawing. Structures containing the invention may partake of different forms and still embody the invention. To illustrate apractical application of the invention, I have selected a slicing utensil as an example of the various structures and details thereof that contain the invention and shall describe the selected slicing utensil hereinafter, it being understood that variations may be made'without departing from the spirit of the invention. The particular slicing utensil selected is shown in the accompanying drawing and described hereinafter.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing illustrates a perspective view of theV slicing utensil chosen for purposes of illustration in one of its applications to work. Fig. 2 illustrates a face View of the utensil. Fig. r3 illustrates a view of a cross section of the material being sliced and the Yutensil and shows the relative operation of the cutting element and separating member. Fig. 4 illustrates a view of a section taken along the plane of the line 4-4 Yindicated in Fig. 2.

A utensil of my invention has a frame to which is connected a handle. The frame is preferably light-weight in character so as to enable ready manipulation ofthe utensil. The frame has a pair of depending legs between which eX- tends a tautly drawn cutting element, The

cutting element may be a ne metal band or wire l0 and have a material severing surface part. A slice separating member or Atongue is disposed on the frame intermediate the legs thereof and depends in parallel spaced relation to the legs.

The tongue has a pair of spaced parallel surl5 faces, one of which is located in a plane extending through and along the cutting element. The tongue edges converge accurately from vpoints on the frame proximate to the base of each leg to form a tongue tip. The tip is located in spaced 20 relation to the cutting element and has a beveled edge extending from one plane surface of the tongue toward the other plane surface. Thus, as the frame is wielded by the handleto move the cutting element through the material, the 25 tongue tip is directed intothe line of cut, swath, or kerf, formed by the material severing surface part of the cutting element and between the slice portion and body portion of the material being sliced, the beveled' edge facing the'sliced portion 30 to divert it away from the body portion While the unbeveled edge moves smoothly over the surface of the body portion. As the cutting element is moved further through the material to increase the sliced area, the tongue is moved between 35 the slice and the body of the material sliced so that an increased area of the tongue engages the sliced portion, the contact between the sliced portion and the tongue increasing from the substantial center of the slice outwardly to the outer 40 edges thereof.

in the particular construction shown in the drawing, the utensil l has a frame 2. A handle 3 is mounted on the frame 2 and is readily graspable for convenient and directive manipu- 45 The wire 5 extends be- 5o lated to move a material severing surface part vthe slice, a separating member, such as the Y tongue I0, is provided. The tongue I may be formedl integral with the fraxnee'Z and legs 4, being stamped from a single metal sheet. The tongue has parallel plane surfaces 9 and I3, the

surface I3 being located in a plane extending j through and along the material severing surface part of the cutting element 5 and the surface 9- being located in a plane spaced fromY the plane of ,the surface I3. The tongue I0 originates at Y points on the frame closely disposed to the base of each leg 4 and arcuately converges to form a relatively sharp tip I2. The edges II of the tongue are preferablyY chisel-shaped or beveled, as shown at I4, to facilitate the entry of the Y tongue between the slice 8 and material 1 and prevent crumbling or breaking of the slice. The

beveled edge I4 tends to direct and deiiect the Vslice 8 away from thematerial I as illustrated Vin Fig. 3 toward and' along the surface 9, while the surface I3 is moved smoothly andevenly along the lsurface of the material 'I from which the slice V8 is made Without deformin'g" said surfaces.

Thus, it will be seen that progressively with the slicing of the material 'I'by the cutting element or wine 5, the separating member Yor tongue will engage the slice 8 over an increased area in directions progressing from the substantial center of the slice toward the edges thereof.

The frame 2 may be moved angularly to move theV wire 5V away from the material 'I immedi- VatelyA upon completion ofthe slicing to cause the slice 8 to fall kand rest of its own weight on vthe tongue and thus form an'eiective slice deliver- Y ing and serving means.V By reason of the unbeveled complementary edge II of the` edge I4Y and of the vlocationof the surfaceVV I3 with reference tothe cutting wire 5, the slice surface of the material I will be smoothY and even for the production of successive thin slices 8.

I claim: Y e Y 1. A` material'slicing utensil having va frame, the frame having a pair of legs extending in parallel relation to each other, a cutting element connected aty each of its ends to one of said pairs Vof legs, the cutting Aelement having a material severing surface part, a handle connected to the frame for manually manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating member comprising an extension disposed on the frame between said Vlegs and extendingtoward the cutting element,

cutting element, the said one surface moves in a plane parallel to and substantially within the confines of the kerf formed by the severing surfface part of the. cutting element.

. 2. A material slicing Vutensil having a frame,

the frame having a pair of legs extending in parallelre'lation to each other, a cutting element connected at each of its ends to one of saidpair of legs, a handle connected to the frame for manually manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating member comprising an extension projecting from the frame intermediate the legs to a point in spaced proximity to'and midway of the length of the cutting element, the extension having a pair of spaced parallel surfaces, each surface being located in a plane parallel to a plane extending through and along the cutting element and being of gradually increased area within its said surface plane Vin portions progressively remote from the cutting element whereby, when the frame is manipulated by the handle to move the cutting element through a material to be sliced and the separating member `is directed along and behind kthe lineV of movement of the cutting element, the separating Vmember initially engages the substantially central portion of the slice being formed and subsequently and progressively with the continued slicingv also engages portions on eitherA side Iof said central portion. A v Y 3. AI material slicing utensil having a frame, the frame having a pair of legsV extending in parallel relation to each other, a cutting element connected atieach of4 its ends. to o'neof said pair of legs, a'handle connected to the frame for manuallyY manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating'member comprising a tongue projecting from4 the frame intermediate theY legs, the

tongue having a pair of parallel' surfaces, each Y l facesbeing'located in a plane extending through and along' the cutting element so that, when the frame is manipulated by theghandle to move the cuttingelement through a 'material' to be sliced and the'separating member is directed along and behind the line of movement of the cutting element,'theV tongue initially engages the central portion of the slice and subsequently engages portionsV on .either side of said'central portion while the said onesurface moves in a plane paraiie'i to and within the Comines of the swath of the cutting. element. Y Y

4., A material slicing utensil havinga frame, the frame having a pair of legs extending' in parallel relation toY each other, a. cutting element connected to the said legs, a. handle connected to the frame for manually manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating memberV comprising an extension disposed on the frame between said legsand extending'toward the cutting element, the extension havinga pair f spaced parallel surfaces, one of said Ysurfaces being located in a plane extending through and along the material dividing line of the cutting element soY that, when the frame is'manipulated bythe 5 handle to move thel cutting element throughy a. material to be sliced and theV separating member is directed Valong and behind the linevofmovement of the cutting element, the said one surface moves ina .plane parallel to andsubstantiallywithin Vthe confines of the kerfi'formed by the'cutting element. A

5. A material slicing utensil havingwa'rame, the framev having a pair of legs ,extending in parallel relation to each other, a cutting element connected to the said legs, a handieconne'cted to the frame for manually manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating memberlcompris ing an extension disposed on the frame between said legs and yextending toward the cutting eledie' ment, the extension having a pair of spaced parallel surfaces, one of said surfaces being located in a plane extending parallel to and Within the connues of a kerf formed in a material to be sliced when the frame is manipulated by the handle to move the cutting element through the material whereby the face of the material from which the slice is formed is maintained smooth and undistorted.

6. A material slicing utensil'having a frame, the frame having a pair of legs extending in parallel relation to each other, a cutting element connected at each of its ends to one of said pair of legs and maintained under tension thereby, a handle connected to the frame for manually manipulating the utensil, and a slice separating member comprising an extension disposed on the frame between said legs and extending toward the cutting element, the extension having a pair of spaced parallel surfaces,

Y one oi' said surfaces being located in a plane extending through and along e cutting element so that, when the frame is manipulated by the handle to move the cutting element through a material to be sliced and the separating member is directed along and behind the line of movement of the cutting element, the said one surface moves in a plane parallel to and substantially within the connes of the kerf formed by the cutting element.

CALE J. SCHNEIDER. 

